Student. Author. Disability Rights Advocate. Immersive Media & AI Expert.
I’m Ava Lorelei Deakin – a writer, strategist, and immersive media creator exploring how storytelling, policy, and technology can build more imaginative and equitable worlds. I’m pursuing dual degrees in Political Science (Pre-Law Track) and Themed Entertainment at the University of Southern California (USC), where I’ve studied under former U.K. Prime Minister Gordon Brown and Disney Imagineers behind attractions like Turtle Talks with Crush.
As an Editorial Fellow for the Global Policy Institute (GPI) and President of ScreamSC, I bridge civic leadership and creative design to spark dialogue across disciplines. My experience spans business strategy at SKIMS, brand development at DeadRinger Brands, and sustainability storytelling for USC’s President’s Office.
I’m also the author of Tomorrow Begins Now: Teen Heroes Who Faced Down Injustice – an Amazon #1 New Release endorsed by the ACLU that interweaves my own experiences with disability discrimination and the stories of young civil rights activists, featuring exclusive interviews with icons such as Minnijean Brown of the Little Rock Nine and Mary Beth Tinker of Tinker v. Des Moines.
Through Degrees of Wonder, I share my articles and publications, as well as my work at the Global Policy Institute and as a blogger for the 2025 American-French Film Festival (TAFFF), exploring how art, innovation, and human imagination shape the cultural and ethical frontiers of the future.
As Seen On…
- Block Club Chicago
- NPR’s The Takeaway
- The Lyre
- Wall Street Journal
- Washington Post
- Amazon
- Washington Media Scholars Foundation
- Barnes & Noble
- Medium
- Reading Sirens Podcast
Contact
ldeakin@usc.edu